Suspects sought in Pine Manor catalytic converter theft; what makes the car parts valuable

Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking the identities of two men suspected of being involved in a catalytic converter theft in Pine Manor.

Crime Stoppers says the theft took place on the 1900 block of Palm Drive in Pine Manor on April 8. One of the suspects may be driving a silver Ford F-150 Crew Cab.

If you have any information about the two individuals, you are asked to contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-780-TIPS(8477) or visiting their website.

There have been several catalytic convert thefts throughout Southwest Florida. Last week two nonprofits fell victim to the car part thieves.

Catalytic converters, a part of a car’s exhaust system, are a target for thieves because they contain the valuable metals rhodium and palladium.

The prices for those metals have been rising for years but have spiked recently due to Russia’s war with Ukraine. Russia is one of the world’s largest suppliers of palladium.

“Palladium is an expensive metal more expensive than gold,” said Lawrence Wolf, a Professor at UMASS Lowell in Massachusetts.

Law enforcement says a stolen catalytic converter can be sold for about $200.

To replace one that is stolen from your vehicle, it could cost you between one and $3,000.

To deter thieves, or at the very least, help law enforcement track where a stolen catalytic converter came from, you can have a mechanic engrave your vehicle’s VIN on it to make it traceable. Parking in a locked garage is the best defense against catalytic convert theft.